Island



Sept. 23

M. C. MILLER KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 8, 1919 ATTORNE Fatented Sept.23, l d,

MAX 0. MILLER, 01? CUMBERLAND HILL, RHO DE ISLAND, ASSIGNDR TO' JENCKESKNITTING MACHINE COMPANY, G}? PAWTUCKET, BHQDE ISLAND, A CORPORA- TIONOF RHODE ISLAND.

KNITTING MAGHI'NE.

Applicationfiled January 8, 1919. Serial No 270,130.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX C. MILLER, a

citizen of Germany, residing at Cumberland Hill, in the countyofCumberland and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Knitting Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The invention relates to yarn feeding and changing mechanism forcircular rotary needle cylinder machines such as are commonly used forknitting seamless hosiery and similar tubular fabric.

' nent bridge, and a series of Yarn feeding and changing mechanisms ofthe type to which the invention relates as heretofore commonlyconstructed have required that the throat and the latch ring throughwhich the yarns are fed to the needles be provided with an opening atits top through which the yarn changers may pass into and out ofposition to deliver the yarns to the needles. This opening in the throatplate, particularly in machines provided with a number of yarn changersrequired in modern practice, say from four to six, is so broad thatduring reciprocatory knitting the latches of the needles which are inthe inactive series are likely to fly outward and even to close as theypass the feeding throat. It has been customary, therefore, to providemeans for temporarily bridging the top of the throat which is movable orremovable to permit the passage of the yarn and yarn changer fingers ininserting and withdrawing the yarns during the knitting.

One feature of the present invention comprises a feeding throat, the topof which is closed or substantially closed by a perinayarn guide lingerswhich pass outward under the bridge in moviiig from inactive positionwithin the knitting, acter would be in the path of the instep screws.

the throat. Yarn guides of this character may be used during rotaryknitting, since none of the needles are above the clear level to whichthey are moved just before they reach the feeding throat. Onreciprocatory however, a yarn guide of this charneedles which have beenraised into the inactive series, and therefore the use of such a guidefor feeding the yarn during the knitting of the heel or tee isimpracticable. The yarn guide used on the heel or toe (or both yarnguides, if two are used) is arranged to move from the outside of thethroat up ward and inward over the tops of the active needles to itsinactive )osition, and at this time preferably lies in t 1e upper partof the throat below the bridge, since this permits the top of the throatto be completely closed by a permanent bridge.

The invention also includes a novel construction of latch ring in whichthe throat is formed, and a novel mechanism for operating andcontrolling the yarn guides.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichFigure 1 is a sectional elevation showing so much of a knitting machineas is necessary to illustrate the application of the present inventionthereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1: and Fig. 3is a sectional View on line 33, Fig. 1.

In the construction shown the latch ring- 2 consists of a steel annuluswhich is so mounted in a pivotally supported latch ring carrier 4 thatit may be universally adjusted to bring it into proper relation to theneedles and needle cylinder. The latch ring is provided near its upperedge with a groove 6 adapted to be engaged by the heads of threeadjusting screws 8, by adjustment of which the vertical position and theinclination of the rin may be varied. lhese screws are held in adjustedposition by bind ing screws 10, the heads of which are arranged toengage the heads of the adjusting The ring is centered and held inposition horizontally by three adjusting screws 1.2 arranged to engagethe periphery of the ring, and held in position by the bind ing screws14. This construction enables the ring to be accurately positioned withrelation to the needies and needle cylinder, and

also enables a new ring of different sizeto be readily substituted, incase needles having different gage hooks are inserted in the needlecylinder.

ables the throat to be formed directly in the latch ring, thus avoidingobjectionable joints incident to the use of separate throat and Wearplates set into a cast-iron latch ring. It also provides for radialadjustment of the throat plate to bring itinto' predetermined positionwith relation to the needles.

The feeding throat 16 is formed in the latch ring, and is provided withthe usual guiding shoul ers 18 over which the yarn is directed to theknitting waves during rotary or reciprocatory knitting. The top of thethroat is closed by a bridge 20 forming a permanent part of the throatplate or latch ringfland efi'ectively retaining the latches of theinactive needles in proper position during reciprocatory knitting. Theyarn guides for feeding and changin yarns during rotary knitting, ofwhic1 there are four in the construction shown, consists of a series ofarms 22 projecting over the latch ring, and provided at their inner endswith downwardly extending fingers 24 in the 1 wer ends of which theyarnguiding openings 26 are formed. The arms 22 are pivoted on a rod 28.arranged outside and somewhat above the latch rings, so that the yarnguiding openings26 will be moved back and forth across the tops of theneedles and under the throat bridge 20 by movement of the arm about thepivot stud 28. Each yarn guide is acted upon by a spring 30 which tendsto throw it down into feeding position. It is raised into inactiveposition by a lever 32, the upper end of which bears against a segmetalcam surface 3% on the arm 22. When the guide is raised it is engaged bya spring operated latch 36 which latches it in inactive position. Theactuating lever carries a pivoted pawl 38, which is normally held inposition to engage the tail of the latch, by a spring 40, so that ashort movement of the lever will bring the pawl against the tail of thelatch and thus disengage the latch to insert the corresponding yarn.When the yarn is to be withdrawn the lever is given a longer movement,and during this movement the pawl will first engage the latch and moveit idly into inactive position, and immediately thereafter, during thecontinued movementof the lever, the pawl will strike against the fixedbar 42 and be thrown out of engage.- mentwith the tail of the latch, sothat the latch may return to active position. During the furthermovement of ll a lever. its upper end acts on the cam segment to movethe yarn guide into inactive position, where it is held by the latch, asabove described, until the corresponding yarn is to be again inserted.Each yarn guide is provided This construction also enwith an additionalshoulder or tooth 44, to be engaged by the latch when the guide is swungup out of its normal inactive position, for the purpose of threading theyarn.

The yarn guide 46 for the heel or too yarn is pivoted on the rod 28, sothat its yarn carrying end will pass inward through the throat fromactive feeding position to a position inside and above the needles, andis so shaped that it will lie in the upper part of the throat beneaththe bridge 20 when in inactive position. It is operated and controlledby an operating lever and latch in the same manner as the yarn guidesfor inserting and withdrawing the yarns used during rotary knitting.

lVith the above construction, in which the yarn guides are retained ininactive position by latches which are disengaged to permit the guidesto move down into active position, the guides will be retained ininactive position with relation'to the throat when the latch ring isswung up to transfer a top of fabric to the needles, and the yarn willnot become slackened and tangled, as in the constructions in which theupward. movement of the latch ring causes the yarn guides to swing downinto the feeding threat.

The means for operating the levers 32 to insert or withdraw the yarnscomprises a series of cams carried on a cam drum which is intermittentlyadvanced at proper intervals by a pawl and ratchet mechanism. The camsfor operating the lovers are of diii'erent heights, to give the lever ashort or long throw to insert or withdraw the corresponding yarn. Thesecams, indicated at 48, are formed on cam blocks which are secured upontheir carrier drum by means which forms a feature of the presentinvention. The cam blocks are secured in rings 50 which are providedwith dove-tailed or undercut grooves preferably correspoiuling in numberto the teeth in the ratchet win-oi 52 through which the cam drum isrotated. The cam blocks are provided with lugs adapted to tit within thegrooves, so that the cams may be located at any point about thecircumference of the drum. The cam securing rings are separated byspacer rings of substantially the same thickness as the cam securingrings, and these rings are provided at one or more points with openings5% through which the cam blocks may be removed when the openings arebroughtinto register therewith. The cam rings are keyed to thecylindrical body 56 of the drum, while the spacing rings are free to beturned about the body of the drum to bring the removing spaces into orout of register with the cam blocks. The rings are clamped in position.after the cam blocks have been adjusted into the desired positions onthe drum, between a flange ing the" amount of lap 58 on the drum and aclamping disc 60 which is secured to the end of the drum body byclamping screws 62. This construction enables the, cams for controllingthe inserting and withdrawing'of the yarns to be readily adjusted toinsert or withdraw any yarn at any desired point in the fabric beingknit. I

The cam drum is advanced at the desired intervals by a pawl 64, theengagementof' which with the ratchet wheel 52 maybe controlled by anysuitablepattern mochanism in a well-known manner- The pawlis mountedupon a pawl carrying lever 66, and is given a two-stage feeding movementby secured upon a rotating two cams 68 and 70 shaft 72 and arranged toengage the end of the 1ever'66. ment given to the pawl by the camsenables the cam a second advance movement to withdraw a yarn after aninterval which may be varied by the adjustment of the cam 70 with 'relation to the cam 68. This enables the la of the yarns to be regulated asdesire either in setting up the that this construction and arrangement1snot essential to the broader features of the invention, but may bevaried or modified as found desirable or best suited to the constructionof themachine in which the in throat, a plurality of vention is to beembodied.

What is claimed is z- 1. A rotary needle cylinder knitting machinehaving, in combination, a latch ring having a feed throat, a permanentbridge substantially closing the top of the throat arranged to engagethe latches of the needles which are raised to the inactive level duringreciprocatory knitting, a plurality of arn guides and means for movingthem under the bridge into and out of feeding position.

2. A knitting machine, having, in combination, a latch ring having afeed throat, a bridge substantially closing the topof the ing over thelatch ring and'provided with depending fingers which project, outthrough the throat when in yarn feeding position and have guides intheir lower ends, and means for moving them back and forth across thetops of the needles and under the bridge.- I

- 3. A knitting machine, having, in combie two-stage feeding move- Idrum to be advanced to insert a yarn by the cam 68, and then to be givenvidedl with a groove,

yarn guides extendnation, aflatch ring having a feed throat, a bridgesubstantially closing the top of the throat, a plurality of yarn guidesextending over the latch ring and provided.

with'depending fingers which project out through the throat when in yarnfeeding position'and have guides in their lower ends,- a yarn guidearranged to lie wholly outside the needles when in feeding position, andmeans for moving the guides back and forth across the tops of theneedles and. under the bridge. 1

4. A knitting machine, having, in combnation, alatch ring having a feedthroat,

abridge substantially closing the "top of the throat, a plurality ofyarn guides extending over the latchrlng and having depending fingerswhich project out through the throat when in yarn feeding position, anda heel and toe yarnguide arranged to project in through the throat andover the tops of the needles when in inactive position. v,

A 5. A knitting machine, having, in combi-' nation, a plurality of yarnguides, latches for holding the guides in inactive position, acorresponding series of actuators, and means for giving the actuators ashort movement to release the latches and a longermovement to move theguides from feeding to inactive position.

nation, a plurality ofyarn guides, latchec for holding the guides ininactive position,

'an actuator lever for each guide, and a pawl vided with transversesecuring grooves, cam

"blocks provided with securing lugs fitting said grooves, spacing ringsbetween the cam rings provided with transverse recesses through whichthe cam blocks may be inserted or removed from the cam rings, and

means for securing the rings together to form a cam drum for operatingthe guides.

8. A knitting machine, having, in combination a latch ring carrier, anda latch ring universally adjustable in the carrier.

9.'A knit-ting machine, having, in combination, a latch ring carrier, alatch ring pro- 4 three vertically adjustable supports engaging thegroove, and threehorizontally adjustable centering devices engaging theoutside of the ring.

10. A knitting machine having, in combination, a latch ring carrier, alatch ring, three vertically adjustable supports for the ring, and threehorizontally adj ustable centering devices engaging the outside of thering.

MAX C. MILLER.

e. A knitting machine, having, in combi-

